Colorado vets headed to Iwo Jima

Rep. Ed Perlmutter isnâ€™t known for crying but he teared up Tuesday when he learned 11 Colorado veterans would get to go to Iwo Jima for the 65th anniversary of their bloody battle there.

The Golden Democrat had been on the phone for four days with the White House, Marine Corps, the Japanese ambassador and â€śanyone who would listen,â€ť said his spokeswoman, Leslie Oliver.

The Colorado-based Greatest Generation Foundation had spent $150,000 to get the group to Okinawa, but then a donated charter flight to Iwo Jima fell through, Stars & Stripes newspaper reported. Perlmutter had pleaded with the Pentagon to take the veterans the rest of the way.

The congressman called Oliver shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday with the good news that the military would deliver the Coloradans.

â€śThere is a god,â€ť Perlmutter told Oliver. â€śGet a pen and write down these instructions and get them to Timothy Davis (of the Greatest Generation) NOW. There is a plane gassed and ready to take these guys to IWO. NOW.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.